Ray Lewis on Peyton Hillis: 'A blind cat will find a meal every once in a while'

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Although Cleveland Browns running back Peyton Hillis has more than proved his ability with a breakout 1,129-yard, 11-touchdown season, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis said Wednesday that the 144 yards and a touchdown gained on them in Week 3 was an aberration that won't happen in Sunday's rematch.

"A blind cat will find a meal every once in a while," Lewis said. "We understand the two big runs we gave up against them.

"My son could have run through the holes that we gave him in Baltimore. We just don't do that. When you find yourself getting caught out of gaps, that's what happens and it's his job to run through them. But when we get back to Cleveland this weekend, it'll definitely be a different outcome."

It will have to be if the 10-4 Ravens hope to leapfrog the Pittsburgh Steelers, also 10-4, win the AFC North and claim a potential No. 2 playoff seed. Despite ranking fifth in rushing defense (93.6 yards) and allowing just 27 net yards in Sunday's win against the New Orleans, Hillis exposed a vulnerability in Baltimore's defense, which yielded a season-high 173 yards in the 27-24 victory.

Buffalo (134 yards), Carolina (120) and Houston (111) stayed close against Baltimore with good ground games, while New England (127) squeaked by using the same approach. Hillis' effort stood out though because of his runs up the gut, which Ravens coach John Harbaugh credited to the Browns' huge offensive line.

Nose tackle Haloti Ngata said the Ravens want to force Hillis to the outside this time around, echoing Lewis' sentiment that apparently had personal roots.

"To be our team's leader, it won't happen again," Lewis added, "so, I hope they understand that. We're not coming in there to overlook them or [anything like that]. We definitely aren't coming in there to give [Hillis] over 100 yards again. Hopefully, they can buckle up all their chinstraps, do whatever you need to do, but we're definitely coming in to play a very physical football game."

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(usatoday.com)